Hot water heater

Originally posted by henryv I just sanitized my camper. Ran some bleach through. Since I want to drain it for travelling, should I also drain the hot water heater or just leave water in it. also which way should the valves coming off the hot water heater be turned. Then when I want to use the hot water heater, what do I do?

It may depend on how much clorox you used.  You want to get rid of the bleach taste.  I leave the water in the water heater; drain the potable tank, refill it, and run the water through all of the faucets until all taste and smell of bleach is gone.  I run a lot of water through the hot water heater.  Then drain the tank again.  You don't have to drain the water heater, but draining the water tank will eventually drain the water heater, so make sure it's full before you turn on the burners again.

As for the valves, search google images for "winterizing RV water heater".  If the valve is perpendicular to the pipe the valve is off, or closed, if it's in line with the pipe, it's on, or open,  Given that you should be able to visuallize how to set them, but for summer use, the outside pair of valves should be open and the single valve on the cross pipe should be closed.

This forum is great but there is no substitute for hands on experience.  Get in there and do it and it will all quickly come together and make sense.

TT

Unfortunately, the hot water heater does not get nearly hot enough to sterilize it. 130 degrees may be hot to us, but some bacteria can (especially in spore form) survive much higher temperatures. That is why autoclaves use 15 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes for terminal sterilization.

Quote from Wikipedia:
"Many autoclaves are used to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high-pressure saturated steam at 121 °C (249 °F) for around 15–20 minutes depending on the size of the load and the contents."

Chlorine will kill bacteria at a much lower temperature. That is why we use it.

Good comments gentlemen.

I don't drink a lot of water, but I agree that with a little care there should be no reason not to use water from the Pod tank for drinking.  Too each his or her own, but I suspect the Pod water system is about as good as any water system; better than some.  Sanitizing from time to time and filling from a good source are part what one needs to do. 

We make coffee and we rehydrate a lot of dried or instant foods.  We use the tap in the Pod for that and brushing teeth. 

I think chlorinated water is probably the best choice whenever possible, but you don't necessarily know what you're getting when you fill up at a campground.  Does anyone know of any good chlorine tablets you could add to your tank as you're filling it?

TT

Every time you open the filling port you potentially are going to have bacteria entering your tank.  All it takes is a little wisp of wind picking up some bacteria from the ground, and off you go.  You have nice warm water in a closed environment where the bacteria can grow as they please.